Who Has To Know?
by Silent Scribe
Summary: InuYasha's human form had always been a secret among friends? But what if a deadly rival found out? Say Sesshomaru? Includes a bonus story.
1. Chapter 1

**Who Has to Know?**

The stars were the only beacons of light in the otherwise dark and moonless sky. As was habitual when he did not feel the need for sleep, the solitary daiyokai who wandered beneath them found himself lost in pensive contemplation.

On this night, however, he didn't stroll because he had no desire sleep so much as he was being kept awake by the irritating question his young ward had asked him earlier that day.

"Lord Sesshomaru, you and InuYasha are brothers, but why don't you get along?"

Well, it was a ridiculous question with an obvious answer; InuYasha was the despicable half-breed disgrace to Sesshomaru's proud line and, if that weren't bad enough, he was also the reason for their father's miserable death. Their strained fraternal relationship was only one of the causes as to why they didn't "get along."

Humans could be more arrogant, greedy, stubborn, irrational, and cruel than any other living creature, Sesshomaru was certain, and his half-brother's blood was tainted withe qualities of that vile race.

_Hmph, I anticipate the day when I shall relieve this realm of your disgusting presence, InuYasha._

Sesshomaru had been so absorbed in his own thoughts, he hadn't realized how far he'd wandered until he noticed that the lone birch tree, which had been at least two miles away when he started walking, was now only a few yards out of reach.

Without breaking stride, he decided to complete the trip and then head back.

–

"Aw, will y'all shut up already?!"

"Don't be stupid, InuYasha! It's the night of the new moon! You know you shouldn't be out alone."

Kagome, Miroku, Sango, and Shippo had been futilely trying to convince the hot-headed half-demon for the past hour to stay withing the camp boundaries. The fact that InuYasha stood there black-haired and round-eared without even claws or fangs to defend himself only served to prove their point that he needed the protection of his friends more than ever right now.

Then again, InuYasha was known better for his rashness than rationality.

"Well, I can take perfectly good care of myself without everyone babying me!" InuYasha whirled around and began stomping off over the next hill.

Kagome started after him. "But what if a demon comes after you?"

"Keh! I got Tetsusaiga, and that's _all_ I need!"

She was about to follow him when Miroku placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Let him be, Kagome," the monk reasoned. "Everyone needs a moment alone sometimes."

Meanwhile, InuYasha was still muttering to himself about his freedom being collared even after he had trudged a good distance from his companions.

_Who the hell are they to tell me what to do anyway?_ he mentally fumed.

A few steps later, the hanyo saw a birch tree not too far off. May be he could spend the night there, his legs certainly ached.

As he settled down next to the tree, InuYasha's eyes began to flutter, petitioning him for sleep. He was soon snoring deeply, his stamina in human form was nothing like that when he had his demon powers. Of course, had InuYasha had his keen dog nose, which accompanied the rest of his arsenal of demonic abilities, he would have detected the scent of the steadily advancing daiyokai.

–

Sesshomaru was approaching the birch tree when his nose suddenly caught a strange scent.

_InuYasha?_

No, this was odor of a human. Purely human...and yet, why did it have the undercurrent of the stench he attributed to his half-brother?

His curiosity peaked, Sesshomaru moved in for a closer inspection. The sight he beheld did not necessarily amaze him – centuries of experience will jade anyone – but it was...intriguing.

Sesshomaru scrutinized InuYasha's human form; the jet-black hair common to every other human, the clawless hands, rounded ears, and, from what Sesshomaru observe from InuYasha's snoring mouth, he was fangless too.

The daiyokai had heard of half-demons losing their powers once a month, but he had never witnessed the time when it happened to InuYasha.

"So it's on the night of the new moon, eh, little brother?" Sesshomaru glanced at the sky to ascertain his hypothesis. He wasn't mistaken. "Hmph, pathetic."

Sesshomaru thought for another minute. "Careless of you, as well. You should have known better than to stray from the security of your group." The mononoke examined his own talons before continuing, "Your life is mine to take, as it always has been, but this time without struggle."

He shifted his gaze down at InuYasha again. The Tetsusaiga could only put up a simple barrier, otherwise the hanyo was nauseatingly vulnerable. Human arrogance, greed, and the other qualities would be of no use to him now. He was utterly defenseless. Asleep, he was helpless.

Without a second thought, Sesshomaru lashed out is light-whip.

InuYasha gave a small grunt, then stilled.

"Mine to take when I'm ready." Sesshomaru began to retrace his steps.

InuYasha twitched as the leaf his sibling had severed landed gently on his cheek.

Sesshomaru lengthened his stride as he sensed dawn approaching.

So what if he had let his cur of a half-brother live? True, he could have had Tetsusaiga in his possession now, but...where was the sport in that?

_I let that half-breed live_, Sesshomaru inwardly growled. Then he glance back over at InuYasha.

The hanyo was starting to stir when his mane flushed back to silver and dog ears pricked atop his head.

Sesshomaru continued to distance himself, but a new thought was creeping into his mind.

_I let my _brother_ live. Well, who has to know?_

–

"InuYasha! InuYasha!"

"Kagome?" InuYasha sleepily mumbled as he heard the patter of feet.

"Hey, everyone!" Kagome called over her shoulder. "I found him, and he's all right!"

After barely standing up, InuYasha found himself surrounded by his comrades. Geez, they were all acting as though he'd come back from the dead.

"I toldja, I would be okay!" InuYasha snorted.

"Are you sure no one saw you or a demon wasn't going to creep up on you?" Kagome looked ridiculously over concerned.

"I'm here, aren't I? I _toldja_ I would be perfectly– "

The morning breeze picked up and InuYasha stopped in mid-sentence as he identified the faint scent of a demon. Even though he could scarcely smell it, InuYasha was sure it was Sesshomaru. He gave an involuntary shudder.

"Uh, InuYasha?" Now Sango was staring at him.

"Huh?" The half-demon brought himself back to Earth. "Yeah, see? I'm just fine. Now let's get going." InuYasha quickly marched to the forefront of the party.

Everyone gave him some space, but Shippo could smell the daiyokai's lingering scent as well. He darted ahead to leap on InuYasha's shoulder.

"InuYasha," the young yokai asked, whispering so the others wouldn't hear, "was Sesshomaru here?"

"Nah," InuYasha said to Shippo as much to himself. "I doubt it."

"But I can _smell_ him."

"It's probably just a far off wind. Y'know, like a current from the mountains or somethin'."

InuYasha got the impression Shippo didn't believe him, but that was his problem. InuYasha knew that if it had been Sesshomaru, he wouldn't be alive and waking up to greet his friends.

InuYasha still shifted uneasily, though. He didn't need anyone, demon or human, finding out about his night of weakness. For the moment, he figured he was safe. No one had found him out, right?

_Really_, InuYasha thought, _who has to know?_


	2. Practice

**Practice**

WHISH!

"Ha! Still striking empty air. Is that all you can muster, half-breed? This armor won't even have a scratch before you die."

"Geez, Sesshomaru, don't 'cha ever shaddup?"

WHISH!

"Now, why don't you try holding your tongue while some amateur swings a noble blade around with such utter disregard and lack of finesse?"

"What?!"

WHISH! WHISH! WHISH!

"The path of the blade is too obvious. InuYasha, you may as well be waving a flag."

"Oh, yeah? Try this! WIND SCAR!"

VWOOM!

"Pathetic. KENATSU!"

SLASH!

"Wha-? How'd you cut through my Wind Scar?"

DASH! CLANG!

"'A sword can only strike one opponent at a time, but tactics can slay a thousand foes.'"

"Aw, can it!"

SHOVE!

CLANG!

"Nrgh!"

"You truly are an amateur; you don't even know that you would have a better grip if you held Tetsusaiga by the extremities of its hilt."

SHIFT.

"An' what would someone with one arm know about that? I can still overpower you!"

SHOVE!

TP.

"Huh?"

STUMBLE.

"H-hey!"

"One would think you would at least have enough intelligence to know when to back-off properly and not put all of your weight into an attack. You just gave you back to your opponent."

SLASH!

CLANG!

"About time you sped up, half-breed."

"Yeah, you better be watching _your_self, Sesshomaru!"

SWOOSH!

WAFT.

"Hey! You're running away!"

TP.

"Tch, so you think. DRAGON STRIKE!"

CRASH! CRACKLE! CRASH!

"Ha! I can beat that! BACKLASH WAVE!"

VWOOM!

CRASH!

BOOM!

SHHH.

"A stalemate?"

TP. TP. TP.

"_Now_ where do you think you're going? We're not through here, Sesshomaru!"

"I am. I've had enough, though it seems you still need more."

"What's that s'posed t' mean?!"

"Let him go, InuYasha. You're tired as it is."

"Kagome's right. Rest yourself."

"Will you all just back off! I ain't tired! An' I don't need your help!"

"Yes. You. Do. Now, SIT!"

WHAM!

TP. TP. TP.

"Oh, my lord! Where have you been?"

"Nowhere, Jaken."

TP. TP. TP.

PAT. PAT. PAT.

"Please, Lord Sesshomaru, at least tell Master Jaken and me what you've been doing."

TP.

"Practicing."

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!"

"What's so funny, Master Jaken?"

"Ha, ha, ha! Really since when did Lord Sesshomaru need - ?"

WHACK!

"_I_ have _never_ needed anything."

"Then what do you mean by 'practice,' Lord Sesshomaru?"

"I simply do not want an embarrassing family line, Rin. _I_ have never needed anything."

_Author's Note: I honestly don't see InuYasha and Sesshomaru having much of a perfect fraternal bond, especially with their proud, stubborn tempers, but I think Sesshomaru does make an effort to protect and coach his younger sibling (in a round-about way that InuYasha's too thick to realize). It seems he's mostly disappointed in InuYasha and targets his grief over his father's death towards him...hm, wonder if I could write about that. Anyway, thanks for reading and please review. _

_Side-note: Anyone know where I could find the lyrics to "Gou"?_


End file.
